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The
Clothing Chronicles ================================================
In This Issue: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The ACCESSORY MAGIC saga continues, but rather than bore you with all the details, I'll just say that what stands between me and the "It's ready!" email is a part that won't be here until Monday. Argh! Hopefully it won't take too long to remedy after that. Look for the ebook to be available sometime next week -- Thanks to everyone who wrote in response to the "It's delayed" email I sent a few days ago. I haven't had a chance to respond to everyone yet but I do appreciate the kind words. It's a relief to know I'm not the only one who has been besieged by techno-gremlins these last few weeks. :-) So what's on tap for this week's article? Well, since the Oscars are on Sunday, I thought it might be fun to take a look back at some of the movies that inspired fashion trends. Enjoy!
Diana ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ How to Get Organized - NOW Are you organized? Are you totally on top of your work projects? Home management? Birthday lists? If not, "Get Organized Now" can help with checklists, advice, reminders, and more. From paying your bills to organizing stress-free holidays, "Get Organized Now" can set you on the path to a clutter-free, chaos-free life. See how: http://www.dianaprefers.com/books/getorganized.html ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 15 Movies That Inspired Fashion Trends Sabrina. Breakfast at Tiffany's. Annie Hall. Flashdance. Remember when movies could start fashion trends? When a single appearance of a certain garment could send moviegoers racing to the stores for a copy? It's been a long time. While Hollywood fashions have influenced the fashion scene for nearly 100 years, moviegoers of today seem to be more interested in what celebrities wear to premieres and award shows than the costumes they don for their movies. Still, as the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences gets ready to honor its own with the Oscars this weekend, now seems like a perfect time to review some of Hollywood's contributions to the fashion industry. You'll no doubt remember some of these movie trends, depending on how old you are: 1. It Happened One Night (1934) When Clark Gable slipped out of his shirt to reveal his chest instead of his undershirt, audiences gasped - and undershirt sales plummeted. They didn't full recover for another twenty years, when James Dean made them popular again in "A Rebel Without a Cause" (1955). 2. The Jungle Princess (1936) While the movie itself was forgettable, the sight of Dorothy Lamour in a sarong was not. Women stampeded to the stores in search of that jungle look as this pacific island staple became an instant classic in the west. 3. A Raisin in the Sun (1951) The white strapless dress that Elizabeth Taylor wore in this movie became the most copied gown for proms that year. In fact, the princess silhouette, with its snug bodice and full skirt, became a hallmark of the 1950's. 4. Sabrina (1954) This movie is a favorite of fashion lovers everywhere, but the shoulder-tied boatneck dress that Audrey Hepburn wore in the movie became a particular favorite that's still popular today. What's it called? The "Sabrina" neckline. 5. The Seven Year Itch (1955) The white halter dress that Marilyn Monroe wore standing on the air vent became an instant sensation. Even now, fifty years later, that dress is still one of the most recognizable in the world. 6. Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961) The music, the jewels, the exceedingly chic clothes - there's a lot to like about this movie. Coco Chanel introduced the "little black dress" in 1926; Audrey Hepburn confirmed its importance with this movie. 7. Cleopatra (1963) More than forty years before Brad and Angelina and the "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" (2005) gossip, there was Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and the "Cleopatra" scandal. While Liz's costumes weren't widely copied, her dramatic makeup was, as women everywhere piled on blue eye shadow, black eyeliner, and false eyelashes for years afterward. 8. Darling (1965) Fashion designer Mary Quant was already a hit in Britain with her mod looks and mini skirts. But it took Julie Christie wearing the styles in "Darling" to make the mod look an international sensation. 9. Annie Hall (1977) Diane Keaton introduced the oversized unisex look as Annie Hall and it became an instant hit. Women everywhere donned loose-fitting jackets, wore socks with high heels, and developed a penchant for ties. The look remained popular for years. 10. Saturday Night Fever (1977) When John Travolta strutted onto the dance floor in his white suit and black shirt, men everywhere strutted into stores for a copy. It was one of the most popular looks of the late 1970's. 11. American Gigolo (1980) This movie launched the careers of two men: Richard Gere, who starred in the movie, and Giorgio Armani, who designed Richard's clothes. A relatively new Italian menswear designer who was looking to expand his reach, Armani did just that with this movie. 12. Flashdance (1983) When Jennifer Beals put on her torn t-shirt and leg warmers, she launched a fashion revolution. It was new and different and fit in perfectly with the aerobically-obsessed 1980's. 13. Indecent Proposal (1993) Demi Moore's little back dress, with its cutouts and sophisticated styling, became a popular cocktail look that lasted for several seasons. 14. Gladiator (2000) Roman-inspired looks have been popular off and on since, well, Roman times, but their most recent incarnation came after the success of "Gladiator." The complicated sandals have come and gone in recent seasons, but toga-inspired cocktail and eveningwear remains popular still. 15. The Italian Job (2003) Funny that a remake would inspire a fashion trend, but it did - and in something other than clothes. Try cars. The mini-cooper has been a British favorite since the 60's, but after Charlize Theron drove one in the movie, it became one of the fastest-selling cars in the United States. Now whether you saw your favorite fashion movie on the list or not, let me ask you a question: Why haven't movie fashions of the last decade or so had as much impact as earlier contenders? It's hard to say. While some movies certainly have their following, audiences simply haven't been moved enough by the fashions they've seen on screen to stampede to the stores en masse. Instead, moviegoers seem content to review what their favorite celebrities wear to movie premieres and award shows, and they'll no doubt have their opinions come Sunday. So as you watch the Oscars - or the highlight footage, if that's more your style - think about the impact Hollywood has had on your wardrobe over the years. Chances are, you've been seduced by a trend or two. Maybe even from one of the movies listed above. ************** Until next time,
Diana Pemberton-Sikes
http://www.FashionForRealWomen.com ------------------------ Published by:
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